Correct way to make new salt water
- Thread starter guardian
- Start date
chipmaker
Active Member
I always add water to clean container, add required amount of salt, with a powerhead in place and operating........check overall salt level, and allow to agitate and mix for at least 24 hours before using, where I again check salt level and adjust if necessary........any left over gets an air stone if under 5 gal to keep it agitated until its needed again.......
S
sinner's girl
Guest
Yes you should let it mix and aerate for at least 24 hours.
Okay, why? I keep reading this, but no one has ever told me why I have to wait or aerate. with my 55gl I never waite dor aerate, with the 75gl I started waiting, just to see why, but there is no way I can aerate 8-12 gl each.
Okay, why? I keep reading this, but no one has ever told me why I have to wait or aerate. with my 55gl I never waite dor aerate, with the 75gl I started waiting, just to see why, but there is no way I can aerate 8-12 gl each.
squidd
Active Member
Aerating the water while mixing does a couple of things that are beneficial for your tank and aid in a proper balance of elements in the finished water.
First of all you are starting with "dead" or unoxygenated water...Water from a well or in the pipes of a city system is generally not exposed to air (contamination reasons) so it comes from the faucet (or through your RO/DI) with a relatively low DOC (dissolved oxygen content).
Dissolved oxygen is what the fish "breath"and aerating it for a good period of time adds this "breathable' oxygen back.
Secondly when mixing salt to water you should aerate the water for a period of time BEFORE adding the salt.
There are actually two points here...If you have ever looked at the threads on alkalinity and calcium you've seen how they need to stay within a specific balance of each other or they combine into other forms and precipitate out...one gets too high (saturated) and effects the other...
By adding the salt to the water you are mixing at diluted levels and bringing them up to the specific gravity level they will remain in suspension...
If you were to start with the salt and add water to it you would have a super saturated mix that would react to itself and some parts would precipitate out as calcium carbonate.
The second point is related to the first in that specific carbon dioxide and oxygen levels are needed (not present in un-aerated water) to keep the calcium and alk/buffers in suspension.
This is why "NEW" salt water is considered "chemicaly unstable"and should be mixed AND aerated for 24 hrs. prior to adding to your tank... In order for all "balances" to come in line and any precipatate to "fall out" in your mixing bucket and not your tank.
It does make a difference and your fish (and corals) will thank you for it.
First of all you are starting with "dead" or unoxygenated water...Water from a well or in the pipes of a city system is generally not exposed to air (contamination reasons) so it comes from the faucet (or through your RO/DI) with a relatively low DOC (dissolved oxygen content).
Dissolved oxygen is what the fish "breath"and aerating it for a good period of time adds this "breathable' oxygen back.
Secondly when mixing salt to water you should aerate the water for a period of time BEFORE adding the salt.
There are actually two points here...If you have ever looked at the threads on alkalinity and calcium you've seen how they need to stay within a specific balance of each other or they combine into other forms and precipitate out...one gets too high (saturated) and effects the other...
By adding the salt to the water you are mixing at diluted levels and bringing them up to the specific gravity level they will remain in suspension...
If you were to start with the salt and add water to it you would have a super saturated mix that would react to itself and some parts would precipitate out as calcium carbonate.
The second point is related to the first in that specific carbon dioxide and oxygen levels are needed (not present in un-aerated water) to keep the calcium and alk/buffers in suspension.
This is why "NEW" salt water is considered "chemicaly unstable"and should be mixed AND aerated for 24 hrs. prior to adding to your tank... In order for all "balances" to come in line and any precipatate to "fall out" in your mixing bucket and not your tank.
It does make a difference and your fish (and corals) will thank you for it.
thegrog
Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr.P
mixing the salt with a stick doesn't work does it? guy at my lfs said people mix salt with a stick and whatever salt is left over they mix it up again.
I use a teflon spoon fron the kitchen. You know the one with the slots in it that is used to strain stuff? Pretty much every kitchen has one, and I never used it once. Now it is a designated stirrer.
As for aerating it, what Squidd said.
I just use an airstone, don't bother with the powerheads anymore.
mixing the salt with a stick doesn't work does it? guy at my lfs said people mix salt with a stick and whatever salt is left over they mix it up again.
I use a teflon spoon fron the kitchen. You know the one with the slots in it that is used to strain stuff? Pretty much every kitchen has one, and I never used it once. Now it is a designated stirrer.
As for aerating it, what Squidd said.
I just use an airstone, don't bother with the powerheads anymore.
carshark
Active Member
Originally Posted by TheGrog
I use a teflon spoon fron the kitchen. You know the one with the slots in it that is used to strain stuff? Pretty much every kitchen has one, and I never used it once. Now it is a designated stirrer.
As for aerating it, what Squidd said.
I just use an airstone, don't bother with the powerheads anymore.
I use a powerhead with a venturi attachment, that way you get oxygen and water movement, the change water is typically very stable....along with a heater..
I use a teflon spoon fron the kitchen. You know the one with the slots in it that is used to strain stuff? Pretty much every kitchen has one, and I never used it once. Now it is a designated stirrer.
As for aerating it, what Squidd said.
I just use an airstone, don't bother with the powerheads anymore.
I use a powerhead with a venturi attachment, that way you get oxygen and water movement, the change water is typically very stable....along with a heater..